Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Home remodeling can mean many things. It could simply be repainting a
wall or replacing broken tiles. These are things you could do yourself.
Or it could mean making major changes in a room, building an additional
room, or upgrading your home with automation features. For big jobs, a
remodeling contractor is a safe bet. Obviously, when looking for a
contractor you want the best – someone who has got a good reputation, is
experienced enough and has the right certifications. But there is
another important factor to consider – is the contractor equipped to do
design/build projects?

What Is design/build?

In
the past, major home remodeling meant many things: seeking the service
of an architect or a designer to plan the remodel, finding a contractor
(and often subcontractors) for the actual construction, coordinating
between them on budgets, timeframes, and workflow and so on. Then there
were issues of misunderstanding, miscommunications, disagreements etc.,
which could affect the cost, time and the look of the finished project.
And of course, the major headache for the homeowner was in terms of
having to deal with so many different people.

A design/build
remodeler is one who has the experience, skills and abilities to do
everything from conceptualization to design, from budgeting to complete
project execution. At one go, the homeowner is relieved of the hassles
mentioned above and has only one company to deal with and a single point
of responsibility for everything connected with the remodel. Not only
does this make life easier for you, but also offers a host of other
advantages.

The design/build advantages

Cost:
The cost is lower, because there are fewer steps involved and parties
to work with. This means that a home remodeling budget can stretch
further. Needless and unplanned expenses due to change orders are
reduced, since there will be no communication issues between parties.
Hidden costs and surprises are eliminated, as the homeowner and
contractor are the only parties involved in budget monitoring.
Additionally, decisions can be taken quickly so that cost effective
solutions can be applied.

Speed: Just one party –
the design/build remodeler – is responsible for the entire project;
there is no possibility of different priorities, leading to confusion
and delays. Cash flow is easier to control: the design/build remodeler
is the only person that receives payments; so the chances of delays due
to sudden and conflicting demands for funds are ruled out. There is a
single project manager who will be responsible for steady progress of
work as per schedule.

You get exactly what you want: Since
the homeowner has only one party to work with, the possibility of
differing interpretations of ideas and objectives is significantly
reduced. You know from the get-go what the end result will be.

You know what is happening: With
one project manager to answer all your questions, you have information
easily available on a daily basis: you always know exactly what is going
on, and how the project is progressing.

The growing demand for
design/build remodeling means there is an increasing demand for the
right contractors too. There is a huge difference between words said and
deeds done. When choosing a design/build home remodeling contractor,
look for one who has the experience, skills, track record and
testimonials to back up his claims. Home remodeling is never going to be
fun, but with the right design/build, and the right contractor, it is
as easy as it can be.